Opera-chair



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet' 1i.

J. M. SAUDER.

OPERA CHAIR. No. 331,551. g- Patemnted Dec. 1,1885.

WITNESSW HWENTOR: 6&7

26 65M BY ALMA ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES k 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. M. SAUDER.

OPERA CHAIR.

Patented Deml, 1885.

ATTORNEYS,-

N4 PETERa PhwlbJ-Rhognpher. Wnhinglon. n. C.

UNITED STATES ",rnr Fries.

JOHN M. SAUDER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

OPERA-CHAI R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,551, dated December 1, 18.85.

Application filed March 23, 1855. Serial No. 159,788. I (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. SAUDER, of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in OperaOhairs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a front elevation of one of my improved opera-chairs and a part of an adjacent chair, the backs being broken away. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a sectional side elevation of the same, shown in position for use, the back being omitted and part being broken away. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is the same section as Fig. 2, but shown folded and with part of the seatbar broken away. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a side elevation of a seat'standard. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a side elevation of a seat-bar, showing the inner side. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is a side elevation of a back bar. Fig. 7, Sheet 2, is a sectional end elevation of the connecting-bars and their panel. Fig. 8, Sheet 2, is a side elevation of thepivot bolt and nut, and showing the springwasher in sect-ion. Fig. 9, Sheet 2, is a plan view of one of the spring-washers. Fig. 10, Sheet 2, is a side elevation of the lower part of one of the seat-arms, showing its outer side. Fig. 11, Sheet 2, is a sectional elevation of the lower parts of a standard and its seat-arms and back arms.

The object of this invention is to provide opera-chairs constructed in such a manner that they can be readily folded and extended, and that the joints will work without bending, even when the seats are arranged in a curved line and the standards are not at right angles with the seat and back.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of various parts of the mechanism, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed outin the claims.

A are the chair-standards, the lower ends of which are flanged to adapt them to be secured to the floor in the ordinarymanner.

In the opposite sides of the lower part of the standards vA are formed circular recesses B, to receive the bosses 0, formed upon the inner sides of the lower ends of the seat-bars 1D. The standards A at the centers of the recesses B, and the seat-bars D at the centers of the bosses O, are perforated to receive the pivot-bolt E, which has a nut, F, screwed upon its forward end.

In the outer sides of the lower ends of the seat-bars D, around the boltholes in the said ends, are formed circular recesses G, over which are placed washers H, through the centers of which the bolts E pass. The washers H are made with four arms, the endsof which rest in recesses formed in the seat-bars D, around the recesses G, as shown in Fig. 10, to prevent the said washers from being turned by friction, and to bring the outer surfaces of the said washers flush with the outer surfaces of the seat-bars D, as shown in Fig. 11.

In the standards A, a little below the re cesses B, are formed short curved slots I, to receive projections J formed upon the inner sides of the lower ends of the seat-bars D, to limit the movements of the said seatbars. The bolt-holes through the standards A are made larger than the bolts E, as shown in Fig. 11, to prevent the said bolts from binding when the seatbars are moved up and down and the standards are at an angle with the seats. The upper ends of the seat-bars D are connected withthe projections K, formed upon the forward parts of the arms L, by joints similar to those at their lower ends, and which need not be again described.

In the projections K below the bolt-holes, and in the standards A in the rear of their bolt-holes, are formed holes to receive the laterally-bent ends of spring-rods M, which, when the seats are lowered into position for use, come in contact with projections N, formed upon the upper forward parts of the seat-bars D,and are put under tension, so as to hold the seats when left free, with their rear edges inclined upward.

O are the back bars, the lower ends of which are curved forward, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and, 6, and are connected with the standards A at points a little above the lower ends of the seatbars D by joints, similar to the j oints of the said seat-bars, except that two curved slots, I, are formed in the said standard, one above and the other below the bolt-holes, and

two projections, J, are formed on the lower ends of the back bars to work in the said slots.

Upon the forward edges of the upper parts of the back bars, 0, are formed curved arms P, which are slotted longitudinally to receive pins Q, attached to the upper parts of the standards A,to serve as sides to the seat-backs without interfering with the forward and back movements of the said seat-back.

Upon the lower ends of the back bars 0 are formed projecting toothed segments R, which engage with toothed segments S,formed upon the lower ends of the seat-bars D, as shown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 11 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the said back bars will be moved forward and back by the upward and downward movements of the said seat-bars. With this construction, when the occupant of a chair rises, the tension of the spring-rodsM will raise the rear edge of the seat and bring the said seat into an inclined position, so that by pressing against the forward edge of the seat with his legs,or by taking hold of the rear edge of the seat with his hand and raising it, the seat and back will be folded into the positions shown in Fig. 3, so that the said occupant can pass out freely. The chair is extended by taking hold of the rear edge of the seat and pressing it downward. The upper ends of the chairstandardsA are formed with thin tenons T, and with a flange or shoulder, U,at the base of the said tenon, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the forward edges of the tenons T are formed slots V, inclining downward and rearward, and in the rear parts of the said tenons are formed angular slots W. The upper parts of the slots \V extend down vertically to points upon a level with the forward ends of the slots V, and their lower parts incline downward and rearward parallel with the said slots V.

X are the arm-rests, in the lower sides of which are formed mortises to receive the tenons T, and which are madelonger than the length of the said tenons.

To the arm rests X are attached two pins, Y, which cross the mortises of the said armrests in such positions that when the armrests X are placed upon the tenons T the forward pins, Y, will pass down at the forward edges of the said tenons, and the rear pins, Y, will pass down into the vertical upper parts of the rear slots, W. Then by forcing the arm-rests X to the rearward the upper sides of the inclined slots V W, acting upon the pins Y, will force the arm-rests X down firmly upon the flanges or shoulders U, so that the said arm-rests will be held securely in place. With this construction the arm-rests X can be packed and shipped separate from the standards A, and can thus be protected from being injured during transportation.

In the standards A, above and below the joints at the lower ends of the seat-bars D and back bars, 0, are formed slots a b, in which are inserted the bars a d, that connect the adjacent seats in a row. The adjacent edges of the bars a d are rounded or beveled to receive the grooved edges of the panels 6, in-

-terposed between the said bars at each seat,

the said panels being made of such a length as to leave uncovered at the ends of the panels so much of the lower bar, d, as will serve as feet-rests. The ends of the panels 6 can be concaved, scalloped, or otherwise ornamented to give the said panels a neat and light appearance. The lower slots, b, are made so much longer than the width of the lower bars, d, that the panels 6 can be readily inserted between the bars 0 d when the bar (1 rests in the lower ends of the slots 1). After the panels 6 have been inserted, wedges f are driven into the lower ends of the slots 12, below the lower edge of the bar d, which force the parts of the bars d within and adjacent to the standards A upward,or nearer to the bar 0 than the width of the panel 6, and causing the parts of the bar 0, or of both bars, to take a curved shape, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the bars 0 (1 will be put under tension and made to hold the panels e securely in place.

The springs for raising the seats, the lugs on the seat-arms for putting the springs under tension, the standards provided with curved slots for receiving lugs on the lower ends of the seat-arms, the slotted pivot-bolt and its lock-nut, herein shown and described, form no part of this application, the same being claimed in an application of even date, Serial No. 159,787, for schoolseats.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an opera-chair, the combination, with the standard A, having pairs of circular recesses B upon its opposite sides,and provided with bolt-holes larger than the bolts of the pairs of seat-bars D, and of back bars, 0, having bosses 0 upon the inner sides of their lower ends and circular recesses G upon the outer sides, the pivot-bolts E, the nuts F, and the pairs of spring-washers H, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said seat and back bars will work freely when set at an angle with the said standard, as set forth.

2. In an opera-chair, the combination, with the seat'standard A, have flange U and tenon T, provided with inclined slot V and angular slot W, of the mortised arm-rest X, provided with pins Y, crossing the said mortise and adapted to engage with the said slots, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said arm-rest can be readily secured to the said standard, as set forth.

JOHN M. SAUDEB.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. GRAHAM, G. SEDoWIoK. 

